96 On an Universal Character. 
by half words and mutilated sentences, liable to 
be mistaken; but completely and entirely, with as 
much accuracy as if the orator had written it word 
for word with his own hand. 
_- A third advantage would be a diminution of space 
in writing, and a still greater diminution in printing; 
so that a single page might be made to contain near- 
ly half a volume. This would greatly diminish the 
price of books, and consequently augment their cir- 
culation. 
To these advantages I may add, that it would give 
a precision and accuracy of expression to written 
language that it never yet has attained, without ne- 
cessarily affecting the spoken language of any coun- 
try. But I am sensible that till it can be shewn 
how all this can be done, it is like putting down 
a parcel of enigmas to state them, though they 
will be perfectly obvious when explained. What 
would our forefathers, before the knowledge of the 
Arabic numerals, have thought of a man who should 
have said: that, by means of ten trifling characters, 
he could perform the different operations in arith- 
metic, which we know can be done with the utmost 
ease? He would have been nearly as much cre- 
dited if he had said: that, by means of ten little 
sticks, he could make a ladder on ‘which he could 
ascend to the moon. 
I speak now with some degree of certainty on 
subject; for, after having committed a few thoughts 
ce es oe eee 
